Evogo: CATL Reinvents Custom Battery Swapping

The Chinese manufacturer CATL has unveiled its Evogo swap stations for electric vehicles, where you can choose your battery sizes.

Attempted then quickly abandoned by Renault, the battery swapping solution is gaining momentum in China. And it’s expected to continue, as one of the sector’s largest players is entering the arena with an innovative solution.

A CATL-specific battery solution

This involves Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited, better known as CATL, supplying many automakers (Tesla, Mercedes, Toyota, etc). Its solution is called Evogo, a service consisting of battery exchange stations. However, not all current batteries will be compatible. Owners will need a vehicle capable of giving and receiving their dedicated CATL batteries.

That’s why the company simultaneously unveiled a specific Choco-SEB battery. As the name suggests, its modules resemble chocolate squares. Using current lithium-ion technology, it has a density of 160 Wh/kg (or 325 Wh/l). Each module (or square) provides 26.5 kWh of capacity and would offer a range of 200 kilometers on the Chinese cycle.

A choice between 200 and 600 km of range!

Newly, it’s possible to swap 1 to 3 modules at the station, which contains a total of 48. The station would measure about the size of three parking spots, roughly 20m². Owners can therefore gain between 200 and 600 kilometers of range in just 1 to 3 minutes—faster than filling up with gas.

CATL emphasizes that each customer can select based on their needs. For short weekday trips, they may opt for 1 block, or 2 to 3 blocks for weekend getaways. This is ultimately the solution explored by concept cars like Renault Morphoz or Fiat Centoventi. Of course, electric vehicles can still be charged on fast chargers, whether public or at home.

Also read: Modular batteries: how Nio promotes the removable battery concept

Customizable removable batteries

The presentation didn’t stop there, as the first car equipped with Choco-SEB batteries, and thus swappable, has been announced. It’s the Bestune NAT, an electric minivan from the Chinese group FAW. CATL claims that 80% of current electric platforms would be compatible with these batteries, as well as all future models.

All vehicle types are on the agenda, from a small city car with a single module to a long-distance model requiring 3 blocks, including utility vehicles.

The CATL Evogo service will initially launch in China, only in 10 cities, with no date specified. The brand has not yet detailed the pricing, which will involve monthly rentals plus a fee for each exchange. It will be interesting to compare it with Nio’s service.

Also read: Zeekr 001: what about this Chinese Tesla Model 3, soon available in Europe